Privacy Technologies & The Digital Economy

Ensuring that users and society-at-large derive the maximum benefit from digital technology requires active and open participation in the digital economy. However, such participation is not without risks and users may withhold or withdraw their active participation in response to such factors. One important reason for doing so is users’ privacy concerns, which may induce behavior that limits digital footprints in order to shield personal data from third parties and governments. Coupled with regulation, privacy technologies can help build trust in the digital economy. If designed and deployed appropriately, they could form the basis of trust in the digital economy. We offer three considerations for supervisors. First, they should understand the strengths and weaknesses of privacy technologies, and this primer aims to provide a foundational tool to achieve this. Second, domestic collaboration and international cooperation is indispensable to improving knowledge sharing and providing clarity regarding mandates and rules. Third, they need to understand the cybersecurity implications and tradeoffs in using privacy technologies.